ZHAO Jia had hoped that her master's degree in environmental engineering from the University of Sheffield in the UK would be her ticket to success when she returned to China, making her a prime candidate for many kinds of jobs.

Instead the 26-year-old is one of a growing number of returned overseas Chinese (known as hai gui or returning turtles) who have studied abroad but are struggling to find a good job.

Zhao has found herself back in Beijing, working for a government-backed public institution, earning around 5,000 yuan (US$790) per month.

Zhao accepted the job as a last resort after a frustrating search for something better in her field.

Her situation, prospects, security and earnings fall far short of her expectations. Studying abroad for one year cost Zhao's parents 150,000 yuan. At her current salary, it will take her at least 30 months to earn that much.

Zhao's situation is far from unusual. A certificate from a foreign institution isn't a gold-plated guarantee; many companies are finding local graduates with work experience are better candidates. And some overseas institutions have been found to be diploma mills, since their returning graduates have neither a good grasp of basic English or their chosen field.

Recent research demonstrates both how the job pressure on returning overseas Chinese and low starting salaries are raising questions about the worth of expensive foreign education.

In January, the Ministry of Education released poll results showing that the average entry-level salary of returned overseas Chinese is about 3,000 yuan a month. About 43 percent earn less than 5,000 yuan, and only 18 percent earn 10,000 yuan or more.

"I sent my resume to more than 30 companies or organizations, but half of them turned me down," says Zhao, who wanted to earn around 8,000 yuan a month and was open to working in different fields when she returned to China in 2010.

The companies that made offers rejected her wage requests. "I think that was due to my lack of relevant professional work experience," says Zhao, who has only ever worked as a waitress despite her degree in environmental engineering.

Her experience is borne out by the poll, which showed that 49 percent of returned overseas job seekers go home immediately after acquiring a degree, without gaining experience in their chosen field.

Study leaves little time to apply for jobs or internships. Zhao says most other students worked day and night in their laboratories.

High unemployment in Europe makes it unlikely for European employers to offer jobs or internships to overseas students.

"Many jobs are only given to those with EU passports," Zhao complains.

Twenty years ago, Zhao would have been a hot commodity in China's job market. In the 1990s, most in the country regarded studying or working abroad as "acquiring gilt" - foreign language, professional skills and technological know-how that would bring wealth and admiration.

At a time when many Chinese didn't travel abroad or speak a foreign language, that was true and returning turtles reaped the benefits.

When foreign experience was rare in China, the doors were opened for returning Chinese to command high salaries and start their own businesses.

Times have changed.

"Today, language competence no longer gives that competitive edge in the workplace," says Ma Jian, a psychologist and human resources expert with Beijing Normal University. "Job recruiters have higher demands."

According to China's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the number of returned overseas Chinese had reached 632,200 by the end of 2010, and it will increase by some 300,000 by the end of 2015. "Intense competition among them is to be expected," Ma says.

And according to the Shanghai Education Commission, the city will expect nearly 180,000 university graduates this year.

In a crowded, highly competitive job market, interviewers, especially for foreign firms, want not only language proficiency, but also work experience, qualifications and professional achievements.

"Many bosses refuse returned overseas applicants since they can do nothing except speak English," Ma says.

Li Sheng, a legal adviser to a private enterprise, concurs. He says that returned overseas job seekers are employed if their are qualified and capable of working hard and fitting in with the company's culture. Language proficiency is not a primary concern.

Language is less of an edge for returned job seekers because the language skills of mainland graduates have improved dramatically. On average, Chinese mainland applicants taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scored 78.

Zhao, the Sheffield graduate, says her colleagues without overseas experience have no problems using English at work.

However, many local Chinese employees resent their returned overseas colleagues using English, which may be perceived as showing off, rather than communicating in their native tongue, Ma warns.

Similarly, he says, returnees tend to complain a lot. He says they object to domestic working conditions, which they call worse than those abroad, moaning that "Chinese entrepreneurs like paternal recruitment while foreign companies stress self-actualization and respect for employees."

These attitudes can come off as patronizing and do not stand returning candidates in good stead. For example, look at the recent job interview video that became notorious when it was posted online. In the clip, apparently filmed live, a returned overseas job seeker was criticized by the host/prospective employer for saying there were "big changes in China," instead of "in our country."

The worry that some returned overseas Chinese consider themselves superior foreigners is reflected in the Ministry of Education poll.

Sixty-six percent of respondents said they didn't identify with the culture of the Chinese enterprises that employed them and 29 percent said they prefer to communicate with people who have overseas experience.

"That weak point would easily lead to discrimination against them," Ma say.